She Walks In Death
by Sarah August
Summary: To forget her problems, Elena takes Elijah up on his offer to learn more about her family history, and his. It leads her into an unexpected affair, one that she may never wake up alive from. The Ties That Bind episode spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **She Walks in Death

**Summary:** Spoilers for The Vampire Diaries: Season 3: The Ties that Bind episode. Elijah is back and Elena is torn between her feelings for Stefan and Damon. To forget her problems, Elena takes Elijah up on his offer to learn more about her family history, and his. It leads her into an unexpected affair, one that she may never wake up alive from.

**Notes: **Spoilers for new episode, The Ties that Bind.

**Author: **Sarah August

**Pairings: **Elijah/Elena, Stefan/Elena, Damon/Elena, Klaus/Elena

**Disclaimer: **I do not own The Vampire Diaries or any of it's Characters.

**Chapter 1**

"He's back," Damon Salvatore admitted uneasily to Elena Gilbert. He moved to stand inside the Salvatore living room with her and removed his jacket and hung it up in the corner on the coat rack.

Elena frowned at the annoyance which was plain in Damon's voice. "Who's back?" Elena insisted after a long moment.

"Elijah..." Damon trailed off, frowning at Elena's shocked expression.

"Did Stefan..."

"No, it was me. I thought... I thought he'd help us."

"But why... after last time..."

"He wants his family back. Just like Klaus does... Just like I do," Damon then finished sadly. "I thought he'd... instead, he took off after I pulled out the dagger. I never had the chance to explain anything. He was gone in seconds."

"So Elijah could be anywhere, and we don't even know who's side he's on..."

Elena stopped herself at seeing the annoyance back in Damon's face. He had meant to do well. He really had. "Damon, look. I understand why you did it. I appreciate it, but, Elijah will do anything to get his family back. Anything at all. He helped us once, but that makes him dangerous."

Elena frowned and then moved to the sofa. He head was spinning from the days events. She couldn't get the look on Stefan's face out of her mind, when she had told him about her kiss with Damon. It was like he had been her love again, only for a moment. The look of hurt and betrayal had been obvious in his eyes. He had never told her off about kissing Damon, because he knew that he no longer had the right too. But for a moment, he had been her Stefan again. The Stefan who had been capable of caring and loving her, and she had managed to rip his heart from his chest with mere words.

More than ever, Elena knew it was too late for them. What they had once, it was gone. It was gone because the Stefan she had loved had left with Klaus and had never returned to her. The Stefan that remained was a broken, hurt, lifeless version of who he had once been. And Elena knew that she no longer had the will to try and bring him back. She was here, but he wasn't. And it broke her heart because she still loved him. Despite everything, she still loved him. But she had no idea what she could do with that. Was it right to go on loving someone who was no longer there to be with? And here was Damon. He was here. He was always here for her.

And Elena didn't know what to do with that either.

She knew that she cared for Damon very much. And if given the chance, there was something there between them to explore. She felt it in his touch, in his kiss, and the way he said her name.

But he was Stefan's brother. And Elena hated herself for feeling this way about him.

"It's going to be okay," Damon promised, noticing her sudden tears.

"I told him, Damon."

Damon then froze, not getting any closer. "So, that explains the punch in the face."

Elena chuckled despite her tears and faught to stop shaking.

Damon then moved beside her. "Elena, you know that I don't expect anything. I know that you still love... I know it's still him, for you. For now, anyway."

"But I shouldn't feel this way anymore, Damon. He doesn't want me anymore." Elena gasped.

"He thinks he doesn't deserve you anymore. There's a difference."

"I'm tired of fighting what I want."

Elena then quickly grabbed Damon by his shirt and pulled him in for a kiss. It was passionate and raw, but it lacked feeling. Damon broke away after a brief moment. "Elena..."

Elena was the first to stand up and she then feld from the house. Damon never followed her.

There couldn't be anything between them. Not yet. She would eventually see that.

* * *

><p>"So what is going on?" Elijah insisted to his hybrid brother. "I remember you... stabbing me. But nothing else. Did the doppelganger survive?"<p>

"Yes. There was some witchy little spell which brought her back. Which was a very good thing, by the way," Klaus admitted with a slight grin at Elijah's cool stare. "Turns out, I need that sweet little thing alive. It's her blood that helps me change the hybrids."

"Ironic of mother." murmered Elijah.

"You seem pleased yourself Elijah. Miss the little tart, did you?" Klaus teased, sounding delighted.

"I'll admit that I'd rather see the lovely Elena alive, rather than dead."

"I thought your lesson had been learned, Elijah. It will do us no good to have history repeat itself, again."

"She's not Katerina or Elisabetha," Nicklaus."

"Yet you fell for the both of them," countered Klaus.

"There are other uses for women besides love, my brother," said Elijah, slapping his brother on the shoulder.

"Really, Elijah? I'll have to see it to believe it. Just don't kill her. I would have a problem with that."

"You have my word, brother. You have my word."

.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Elena, you coming down to eat?"

Elena forced herself to sit up from her covers. Her eyes stung against the morning sunlight coming through her bedroom window. Her brother Jeremy was calling for her to come down to breakfast. For once, he was awake before her.

"Yeah, Jer. Tell Rick I'll be right down. Just wanna a quick shower."

She heard Jeremy leave the hallway and Elena forced herself to stand up from her bed. Elena went to turn towards her bathroom and she gasped in shock mixed with a nawing fear.

There he was. After she didn't know how many months, there he was. Her hair fanned her face. "Elijah... what are you doing here?"

After all that had been going on in her life, she didn't need this. Not now. Those unsettling feelings that the original had given her before were climbing back at full speed ahead up her spine.

"I came to see you, of course," Elijah offered, sounding kind and almost happy to see her. Elena faught the urge to smirk. She wouldn't smile for him. He didn't deserve it. She had lost so much because he had chosen to trust Klaus.

"I'm not making any more deals with you," Elena then snapped, making him take a new look at her. "Now, you've caught me in my pajama's. So, if you can't make this quick, then get out."

"Oh, I can make it very quick for you, Elena," Elijah said smoothly, giving her a quick look, up and down. "If that is what you really want."

Elena felt herself flushing bright red. She had no idea what to say to that. She was afraid to give him an answer for fear of what he would say next. This was not where she had imagined their conversation would go. Was he really flirting with her? "Just, please, tell me why you're here." She then said.

"Much more better," He then cooed at her, but his eyes were still dangerous. Watching. Instead of unnerving her, she was fighting something else she was feeling. It was something she always felt when he was close.

An undeniable attraction.

"I want to show you something, Elena. I hear that you've discovered more about the doppelganger curse in my absence, however, I want to show you what you haven't seen. Have I managed to catch your interest?" Elijah then reached out to her and started to play with her hair at her shoulder as if lost in deep thought. It took Elena a moment to think of stepping back from his touch. Her cheeks burned again. Damn him!

"What can you show me?" She asked challengingly.

He then smiled like a satisfied cat at her and gave a low purr while gently touching her neck. He removed his hand at stopping at her chest. She tried to look anywhere but at him.

"I'll show you your hieritage. Has anyone ever told you about Elisabetha? She was the original Petrova."

"No," Elena replied quickly, no longer being able to fight her interest. "What do you know? We haven't been able to find anything on her."

"Elisabetha was to be Klaus's wife."

Elena could only stare at Elijah in surprise.

"So, do we have a deal? I tell you about Elisabetha, and you come away with me?"

"What.. wait. No, I can't just go away with you! Why do you want to take me away?"

"I've heard about the recent ongoings with the Salvatore brothers. I felt you'd likely be up for a break. Am I right?" He then said teasingly to her, getting the smile she hadn't wanted to give away.

"You're not kidding," Elena finally admitted, begrudgingly. "Fine, I'll go with you." She accepted his offered hand in her own. She didn't have time to blink before her bedroom vanished around her.

* * *

><p>He took her to a mansion in the woods. She could only guess it belonged to Klaus.<p>

"Don't worry. My little brother is out for the day. I made certain of it."

Elena smirked at that and accepted his hand as he lead the way inside.

It was the most beautifully decorated place that Elena had ever seen. "My god..."

Elijah smiled at her sense of awe. "It truly is a pleasure to see you again, Elena." He admitted.

"And, it is kind of nice to see you," She told him, then walking ahead of him. Elijah couldn't help but smile again at that. Already, she was starting to relax with him.

Perhjaps, she would be more agreeable to the other part of his offer than he had originally thought. His hand gently touched the exposed skin on her back and he faught a gasp from his own lips as he felt the heat coming off of her. She was so wonderfully human. She looked up at him, a little breathless herself. "So, Elena, what would you like to do next?" He whispered in her ear. She helplessly swooned against him.

"I..." Her lips then slowly brushed against his own, giving him the oppertunity to slip his hands down to her waist, drawing her closer. Crushing her against him in a passionate, heated kiss. He only let her go when it appeared she wasn't about to slip away from him. She was right where she wanted to be. Here, in the moment, fevered for his touch.

"How about we forget the world for awhile?" He then offered into her hair. Elena then responded by pulling him into another heated, deep kiss, and he lifted her so her legs wrapped around him. He had her against the wall, the doors by the stairs, the stairs themselves, and then finally inside of the room that Klaus had given him to stay in. Skin on skin, tight breathlessness.

He never wanted to ever let her go.

To his mild surprise, she was gone by sunset. She had escaped while he had slept.

But he would find her again. And again. And again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Elena had awakened from Elijah`s embrace and had rushed home. She could still feel where she had been touched, where she had been kissed by him. She still feel the way he had filled her up, over and over again, and the imense wave of fantastic, dizzying pleasure it had brought her every single time.

She had no idea how a simple visit had turned into something else entirely. Elena felt as if her entire world had been turned up side down. She still burned for his touch and it took everything she had not to just walk out the door of her house and strait back to his bed.

They still had everything to worry about. Klaus was still a threat to her and was on the loose. She was the key to his creating more hybrids. He did have a large supply of her blood from when he had taken her and put her in the hospital. But eventually that would run out.

Stefan was still a loose cannon. Elena had no idea what she could expect from him. The events on the bridge still haunted her. It was the only time she could recall ever being truly afraid of him. But when she had told him about that kiss with Damon... something had changed for them. It had felt like she had begun closing the door on their past, finally. Yet, there he had been, visable hurt by the knowledge that perhaps she was ready to move on, and maybe it might be with Damon. Maybe it wouldn't be either. Only time knew for certain.

And then there was this thing with Elijah... Who was she trying to kid. It was so much more than a thing. And finally being free, she didn't have to hold back from it anymore, and it had been earth shattering for her.

It had just been sex. Elijah was a thousand plus year old vampire. It wasn't like he'd be truly interested in something serious with her. But maybe that was exactly what she needed.

Elena still had feelings for Stefan, and also for Damon, but she wasn't in a relationship with either one of them. She felt something for Damon that went beyond friendship, but it wasn't like they were in a position of where they could ever explore those feelings. Stefan had been her love. It would be wrong to turn to Damon, his brother, to be her new love. Elena knew that deep down the two brothers loved each other. She wouldn't ever do anything to ruin their bond. But she didn't want to be alone either.

Perhaps Elijah was the solution to her problem. And he would help her about the past too.

Elena dressed and hurried out the front door without speaking to Jeremy or Alaric.

* * *

><p>"So, we haven't seen you for a few days. How've you been?"<p>

Elena gave out a little gasp, trying to bury the sensations building within her, down deep.

"What was that?" Chuckled Damon on the other end of the phone.

"Just trying to relax," Elena admitted honestly, and faught a shudder as a glorious pair of lips found their way down the skin on her bare back.

"And just how are we relaxing?" Damon asked teasingly into the phone. Elena then winced as a chuckle of delight came from the naked man moving above her. She gave out another little gasp as a muscular hip connected just right with her own.

"None of your business!" Elena managed to snap, she then cursed sliently when those enticing lips found her coller bone, making her want to moan out loud.

"Hey, touchy," chuckled Damon. "Catch me later when you're done... relaxing. I know a few techniques I could show you."

Elena could almost hear his smile. She scowled.

"You are so cute when you pout," gasped Elijah into her ear.

"Who was that?" Damon insisted suddenly.

"I told you not to call him," Elijah bit remindingly into her mouth.

Elena dropped the phone, her call with Damon completely forgotten when Elijah began kissing her.

She had no idea what she'd tell Damon later. And she didn't care, either.

She wrapped her legs around Elijah's naked form and grasped the desk with her hands to hold on to her escape for as long as she could. With pleasure, she again forgot the world for awhile.

* * *

><p>"Where have you been hiding?"<p>

Elena jumped at the sound of the voice behind her as she faught for the keys to her house. It was Stefan.

"I was out!" Elena told her ex with a scowl.

"Has Elijah decide he's going for the rest of his family yet?"

The question startled her. Did Stefan know where she had been the last six hours? She flushed at the realization that it meant that he likely knew exactly what they had been up too as well. "We haven't got around to talking about that yet," Elena admitted uneasily.

"Just what have you been talking to Elijah about then, Elena? For six hours?"

"You followed me?" She snapped viciously.

"He's dangerous, Elena."

"And so are you!"

It was the last thing Elena had said to Stefan before going into her house.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Elena, you alright?"

Elena was caught off guard by Rick meeting her on the other side of the door. She felt a little shaky from her encounter with Stefan and him knowing exactly what she had been up to with Elijah had been startiling to her.

"I know it's none of my business, but, what have you been spending time with Elijah for? Damon told me he was back, and you have been at his side, ever since."

Elena felt tears well up in her eyes at the mention of Damon. She had been so sure that he was exactly what she wanted now, and now that Elijah was back, Elena no longer knew what she really wanted anymore. She was back to square one. Instead of between Stefan and Damon, it was Elijah and both brothers now. Who did she want? Did Elijah even want her to choose him?

"Elijah has offered to tell me more about my family history," Elena began with a stamper. "Apparently, he knew the Petrova that the doppelganger curse was created for."

"He's dangerous, Elena," Rick informed her, annoyingly similar to how Stefan had said those same words to her. "I know you want to find out, about the past. But you can't trust him. It's like suddenly deciding to offer yourself up to Klaus as his personal blood bag. You just don't do it."

"I'm tired of doing everything that everyone expects of me, Rick. Maybe, just for once, I want something for me. Something that no one can take away from me," admitted Elena. "Can't you understand that?"

"Wait, what exactly are you talking about, here, Elena? How deeply are you in with this guy?"

"It's none of your business," Elena snapped suddenly, before rushing up the stairs to her room.

* * *

><p>"Lovely to see you again, Elena," purred Elijah, meeting her at the front door to Klaus's home. Again, she suspected that Klaus was not around. Elijah always ensured that they had complete privacy on their visits. Which was good, considering how exactly they've been spending that time they shared together. He took her coat and helplessly touched her neck. It had only been a moment, but the feel of his skin shocked her. It made her give a gasp and they were soon standing in front of each other, fighting not to simply give into their new found passion for each other. "Elijah, how about we have a little chat today?" I asked him, shakily.<p>

"Of course," He agreed, a slight smirk obvious to that handsome face of his. Elena felt herself become like mush when he stepped back from her and lead the way into the reception area. He turned and reguarded her a moment, before continuing up the stairs towards the main bedrooms of the mansion. Where his room could also be found. Elena gave another shaky sigh before following him.

She knew where things would lead. They always seemed to take them up here, to Elijah's bed.

Not that she was complaining. Quite the opposite, actually.

But her intense attraction to the original vampire was begining to overwhelm her. It was begining to take her over. And these new, powerful feelings, were threatening to take over every single part of her life.

Did he feel the same for her? Did he feel anything for her at all? Or was she just a replacement for Katherine or Elisabetha to him? Elena knew she couldn't be sure.

Elijah stepped in behind her, again the slight contact shaking her to her core, as Elijah brushed up against her from behind before shutting his bedroom door and locking it.

"Please," He breathed, leading the way to the bed.

It was a four poster bed, with thick cherry wood. The warm sheets and blanket looked so inviting. She sat down and Elijah remained standing. He knew what I wanted to know. I didn't even have to ask.

"Elisabetha was betrothed to Klaus at the age of fourteen. They were to be married on her seventeeth birthday. She was a childhood friend to our brother Henrick, but a little older than him. Not much. She had been taken with Klaus for some time and it had seemed to be a good match. Klaus, being a man already, did not appreciate the commitment that was expected of him to a girl not yet grown up. One he could not marry for a few years to come. He saught the company of others, which got back to Elisabetha. This caused her interest in my brother to cool and turn towards me. I did nothing to encourage it. I had no interest in marriage or a girl that carried a silly crush. I knew that eventually I would be expected to find a wife, but as the elder brother, my family gave my destiny to my own hands. I decided to help Klaus along. I tried to encourage Elisabetha to love my brother again, but she would have none of it."

"Found you irrisistable, hmm?" Elena teased, happy now that he joined her to sit on the bed.

"You could say that," Elijah gave a slight, sad smile. "When she became of age, things changed. She changed. She had grown up into a breathtakingly beautiful woman who had grown up loving me. But still, she was to marry my brother."

"Was Elisabetha a werewolf too?" Elena asked suddenly.

"No," admitted Elijah, taking a moment to hold her hand in his. Elena could see he did not like talking about this. But he would, for her. "Elisabetha was found in the woods as a baby, abandon. She was raised by werewolf parents, but nevertheless, human. A girl who had stayed with my villiage, had become pregnant, resulting in Elisabetha. She had run away after her birth, never to return for her daughter. Elisabetha had been killed the day before she was to marry Nicklaus, by a man who had loved her, other than me. He knew what Nicklaus was and would have none of it. He would not watch the girl he loved marry one of the wolves.

That was also the night of the curse. My father brought her to me as I lay dying, as she lay dying. I thought we would die together, and I would have the girl I loved with me, the girl I had loved and could never have. But my family, they had other plans for me. For us."

"They made you kill her," I realized aloud, stunned, broken instantly for his loss. "You had to finish the job."

"Yes. I fed on her, which caused her to die in my arms. Then, I had no idea how to create a vampire. I had no idea that I had the power to save her, not until several decades later."

"You didn't cause those things to take place, Elijah," Elena said, fighting to bring him comfort. "It's not your fault."

"But this is," He instead snapped, standing up suddenly and rushing at the door in a blur.

He opened it. I didn't understand.

"You want me to go?"

Instantly, I was hurt at his rejection of me. Hurt in a whole different way.

"Elena, we cannot do this anymore. It needs to end, before it begins."

"What if I don't want it to end?" I challenged.

I began walking slowly towards him, removing my shirt as I did.

"Elena..." He rasped, fighting to look away.

I reached for his face and smoothed the other side with my bare hand. "I don't want to go."

Elijah then reached for me with a hiss and ended up with me on the bed. He lay on top of me. Instead of the rage I had expected at my boldness, instead I found him starting down at me with gentle, curious eyes.

"I don't share my lovers, Elena. Before you choose me, I insist you make your decision wisely. I will not share you with the Salvatores, or with anyone."

Before I could speak, his lips were on mine, crushing me to him with firey insistance. To prove what he had said, what he had promised.

He broke away, giving me a chance to get up. Instead I grabbed for him, taking the oppertunity to take the lead above him. I returned his heated kiss with several of my own. His hands were on my waist, my breasts. I let the world go again, and I was his.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Elena, there you are," said Damon, following Elena up to her front door. After another long day and night with Elijah, she was back home. The last thing she wanted was to face another Salvatore brother right now.

"Hey, Damon," Elena began uneasily, before looking away from him. It was late and she was tired, and she didn't bother to shower before coming home. She hoped that Damon couldn't smell Elijah's scent on her. Apart of her didn't want to admit why.

"Where have you been hiding? Rick said you've been keeping yourself busy with Elijah over the last week. That true?"

"Damon, Elijah's been telling me about my family past. About the first Petrova."

"Was she some old girlfriend of his or something?" Teased Damon lightly. He frowned at her dark mood.

"She was engaged to Klaus, actually," Elena spat. She failed to explain the rest. She didn't want to admit to herself why that was. "Elijah knew her though."

"How'd she die and become apart of the doppelganger curse?"

"Elijah has told me a few things... not everything yet, though."

"What's he been saying to that pretty little head of yours?" Damon pressed on. He moved a lock of her hair behind her ear and Elena felt as if she'd been slapped. Guilt began to overcome her. She no longer could stand to have Damon touch her. Elena backed away from him when he moved for her cheek.

"What's got your panties going in a bunch, hmm?" He teased. He then quickly frowned upon smelling her. "...You smell... like him." He whispered.

Elena felt tears well up in her eyes. She truly hadn't meant for Damon to find out about this. Especially like this. "Damon, it's not like that," She started right away. Elena then winced upon realizing that it was exactly like that. And she couldn't hide it from him. "It's something, alright?" She then declared tearfully. "But I don't know exactly what, yet."

"You love him?" Damon recovered after a long silence. Tears were in his eyes too which was like a knife to her heart.

He had really thought that this might be there chance. Since her relationship with Stefan had never recovered from his time with Klaus. She had seriously thought that too. But Elijah, and her feelings for him, were something she couldn't just ignore.

"Damon, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I would have told you, if things between us went that way. I hadn't meant for you to find out like this. I'm so sorry," Elena finished like a plea.

Damon swollowed hard and looked to the floor. "I guess I was never good enough, anyway," He replied, fighting to laugh it all off. He backed away from her.

"That's not true and you know it. I do have feelings for you, Damon," Elena admitted, looking gulity at doing so. "I have, for a really long time. You were right. But we just never..."

"Got that far?" He finished for her. "Elijah works real quick, I'll give him that."

"He's not like that, Damon. I believe he really cares about me."

"Just cares, huh?" Damon countered hotly. "I love you, Elena. How about that? Can he offer you that much at least? Or are you just settling because things hit the rails with my little brother and you're too afraid of what people will think if you choose me?"

"Damon," Elena choked out. She truly didn't know what to say, what to think anymore.

"I'm out of here," Damon went to move away, but then stopped and turned to her. "But not before I do this."

Damon pulled Elena to him and kissed her with the greatest, breathtaking intensity. She returned the kiss, putting everything she had into it.

Damon was the first to break away. He then gently touched her face. "If you really do feel anything at all for me, Elena, you'll remember what I said. Try and remember how I make you feel before you pick somebody else. Either my brother or Elijah. You may choose either of them, but they won't be me, and you'll regret giving up on this before it's even started. Give us a chance, one chance. Then, I'll be happy. You'll be too."

Damon then left her standing there, breathless in the darkness. More confused than ever.

* * *

><p>It had been a week since she had gone to see Elijah. Elena so desperately wanted to see him again, but she couldn't let go of that kiss she had with Damon, or what it could mean. Elena knew that she had real feelings for Damon, and whatever was left of her relationship with Stefan, she knew there were left over feelings there too. Was it wrong to pursue, whatever it was, with Elijah, while knowing that her heart was so divided?<p>

Rick seemed pleased that she was staying inside more after school and not vanishing for several hours, if not full days at a time. Jeremy, back from seeing family friends, was trying so hard to work on what was left of his relationship with Bonnie. Well, between her working to find a way to open up the mystery coffin that wouldn't open, and killing Klaus.

Strangely, Elijah hadn't yet mentioned the missing coffin to her. He was too interested in the past, and well, herself. Nothing else seemed to matter.

Elena went down stairs to the kitchen and found an open box of flowers sitting on the table. She went to the box and opened it, and she seemed surprised to see it's contents.

Black, dead roses, broken, shreded.

The card said Klaus.

She had to see Elijah again. She now had no choice.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"What are you doing with my doppelganger?"

The question caught Elijah off guard. He had been again not suspecting to see his brother home for the rest of the day.

"I'm trying to find out where the coffin they took is currently located. I told you this, brother," Elijah spat cooly. "The girl is simply a means to an end. I get what I want and you get what you want."

Dressed in a blue and black suit, Elijah moved for the bar in the living room and fixed himself up a drink. "I thought you would approve of my plans, Nicklaus."

"She doesn't seem to know where the coffin is," noted Klaus, just as icily. Dressed in a white, long sleeved shirt, Klaus set himself up a drink as well.

"Yes, she does. Her Salvatore boys have it. I just have to find out which one."

"Can you really do this, brother? It would seem that your feelings for this girl has haulted your plans. Should I take over?"

It was a threat. Plainly so.

"I'll get it out of her. Thanks to the flowers you sent her, she'll come running to me for help. She trusts me now."

"I thought you'd appreciate my taste," chuckled Klaus darkly.

The front door bell chimed.

"Go away, brother," said Elijah, slapping back the last of his drink.

`You have until tonight, brother,`` Klaus spoke. ``Get to it.``

``I will.``

* * *

><p>Alaric watched Elena leave the Gilbert family home with a growing, nagging worry. Damon had taken the time to tell him about how much time Elena had taken to spending with Elijah, and that she was likely having a serious relationship with the anicent vampire. Or they were hooking up, as Damon had said.<p>

Elena was eighteen now, and her romantic attachments were none of his business. But Elijah was deadly and proven to be untrustworthy, where Stefan and Damon would never intentionally try to hurt Elena. He watched her rush out of the house and gave Damon a call.

* * *

><p>``Elena, I was getting worried about you,`` said the original while opening the front door to the mansion. ``I`m so glad you came.``<p>

Elena stepped inside and he went for her coat. His hands brushed the back of her neck upon removing the jacket. It made her give a little gasp. One that he was coming to love.

Elijah hanged the jacket up by the door and lead her to a new room that she hadn`t seen before. The study.

``Elijah, I have to tell you...`` She trailed off as his hand unexpectedly began tracing her face and then moved to the front of her chest that was exposed through her sweater. His caresses made her shiver with a deep, wonderful pleasure. He leaned into her as she closed her eyes and opened her mouth with his tongue. Slowly, he worked his way into her mouth, giving a deep, delicious kiss. He then pulled away, a little breathless himself.

``What were you saying, love...``

``I... ``

He stopped her words with another deep, passionate kiss. One that made her fall against him, into his arms. She moaned in pleasure upon opening her dark eyes and seeing him staring at her with his own.

Elijah smiled, satisfied like a cat, and then leaned closer. Their noses nearly touching. ``How about we continue this very delightful...`` He began tracing her chest again, moving to the valley of her breasts, causing her to move her hips against his. ``Conversation... `` He began to finish huskily at the contact. ``Upstairs...``

He slipped his hand into her shirt and she moaned loudly at the contact. Desperately, Elena faught to remember why she came here. She couldn`t think with him touching her like this.

``No,`` Elena tried to protest, but he removed his hand and the other went to ondo her pants, causing another gasp from her. ``Okay,`` Elijah agreed with a smile, taking pleasure of his own at watching how he was affecting her. He removed them quickly, with vampire speed, making fall back onto the desk. She gasped again, startled to realize her underwear was also gone now too. Elijah moved again, using his vampire speed to move between her legs, pulling her all so close. The contact made her ride an intense, but quick orgasm. It created a little gasp from Elijah too. He then reached out, touching her face, and cooed,``Now, love, don`t start without me.``

He then bit her lip, taking all the fight out of her that she had. Elena then went for his pants and brought them down to his knees as quickly as she could before giving him a punishing kiss. Elijah was then within her, pounding away, in a few quick movements.

Outside of the window, in the distance, he saw the other favorite for the woman`s affections before him. He could see him too, making Elijah grin as he continued to pound into a very willing Elena, wrapping her legs around his neck as he rode her on the desk. Finally breaking eye contact with the now broken Salvatore, Elijah lost himself in kissing Elena. When he finally looked up again, Damon Salvatore was gone.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

After coming down from another impossible high with Elijah, Elena found her clothes about the office area. She felt herself begining to tremble. Not just from their usual satisfied high, but from the feeling of no self control that took over, every time she was in Elijah's presence.

He watched her dress, with a deeply concerned look about his face. He still wore his slacks, but nothing else.

"Elena, I think it's time we talk about this," He began, stunning her. Perhaps he did think more of her than just someone he can quickly seduce into bed. Elena was hesitant to think about how much the very thought pleased her.

"About what?" She asked, carefully guarded. She went to finish putting on her shirt, and he helped her with the last bit, trying to study her emotions.

"How we have taken a new... turn... in our relationship," He started easily. "I want you to know that this, what we've been doing, our time together... it isn't meaningless to me."

"Then what is it?" She said near accusingly. She backed away from him so he couldn't touch her so easily. "What is it? All I know, is that you made me an offer to learn about the past, and the next thing that I knew, we started sleeping together." Elena stopped, abruptly. Her voice was shaky, full of feelings, and she hated it. She hated herself for caring about this man, no, vampire,. so intensely.

"Elena..." He started, his voice soft. He moved toward her and touched her face with his right hand. "I know that this, us sleeping together, as you call it, certainly was an unexpected turn in our relationship. One that I hadn't planned on happening. But sometimes, the best things in life, are those which are not planned."

He then moved for her hair and played with it's length briefly before stepping back from her.

"Elijah, I ... I hope... I don't feel that our time together, it isn't meaningless either, to me. What that means, I'm not sure. I know that I ... I want to be with you. I want to get to know you better," Elena finished, her heart racing as she confessed what she was feeling for the original and the new, yet strange relationship they had begun.

"Elena, how about you stay for the rest of the night. In the morning, we can discuss the past a little more." He offered.

Elena blushed bright red. "I think I should actually get back home. Rick and Jeremy will wonder where I have gone too, if they don't see me get back, soon. Rick is already suspects something between us, I think."

"He doesn't believe an eighteen year old can look after themself?"

"I think it's more to do with our shared history. I actually died after the sacrifice. It was a spell that my friend Bonnie did that brought me back to life. My father, John, gave his life to save mine with that spell. My Aunt Jenna, she died too. It's taken all of us awhile, but we are starting to get ourselves together again. I think we just try to look out for each other. Rick doesn't mean any harm."

"It's good to hear that together, you've become this family. I am pleased that he was there for you, and your brother. That is something that I have missed about humanity. The unity that family can only bring."

"Have you discovered what was in the coffin that won't open?"

"I suspect that it is likely something of great importance to my family. Unfortunately, without seeing it, I cannot say for certain."

"What if you could see it?" Elena offered quickly.

"You know where it is?"

"No. But I know who can tell me."

"Stefan." Elijah only said.

"He believes what he's doing is right. He wants to stop Klaus."

"It won't stop my brother, Elena. If anything, it will only serve to get Stefan killed. Do you think he'll tell you where it is?"

"I'm not sure. I can't guess anything when it comes to Stefan anymore."

"So, your relationship with him... it is indeed finished?"

"It was over when he left town with Klaus months ago. At least, that's what he's told me since he returned. We're never getting back together, him and me, Elijah," Elena finally confessed aloud.

"So I just have to worry about the elder Salvatore when it comes to keeping your affections," Elijah replied teasingly, trying to lighten her mood, but was also half serious.

"You want to keep my affections?" She shot back. It was a joy to have someone actually seriously flirt with her with no other complications involved.

"But of course, lovely Elena," Elijah declared, briefly, gently, taking her close into his arms. "I do have that much, do I not?" He pressed.

"You do have that much," She agreed, actually letting out an easy laugh. Elena then fell against him, enjoying his embrace.

"Then I have everything to fight for and win," Elijah then whispered into her hair, taking the time to kiss her everywhere that was in reach. Showing her that she was worshiped by him at least.

Elena returned home to the stares of her brother and Rick from the living room. "You know what time it is?" Began Jeremy.

"I know it's late," Elena admitted, trying to sound calm.

"Elena," started Rick, crossing the room to her and joining her in the hallway outside of the livingroom. "Damon told me that you were at Elijah's house tonight."

"Yeah, so," confesed Elena. "What does that matter? You know that I've been going there."

"He said he seen you having sex with Elijah through the window."

"What?" Elena exlaimed darkly, stunned. "Damon doesn't know what..."

"Look, Elena. Your sex life is your business," Started Rick. "But you know how Damon feels about you. And lately, before Elijah came on the scene, I thought that maybe you were feeling something back for Damon too. What happened there?"

"It's not easy to explain Rick," Elena spat, annoyance rising within her. "I care about Damon, I do. But there's always Stefan between us. It's not so simple to where we can just... forget that. He knows that."

"Damon's in love with you, Elena. And, he doesn't handle this kind of thing, very well. With Stefan, it is different. He knows that you still love him. But this thing with Elijah... you can't trust him. And I'm afraid of what Damon might do, in effort to try and protect you from him."

"It's not his place, Rick."

"But has that ever stopped him from trying to save you before?"

Elena sighed, frustrated. "I'll talk to him."

"Be careful, Elena. He's not taking this, very well."

"He never does," Elena agreed sadly before exiting the house.

"What are you doing here?" Damon snarled, slamming a drink into the fire place.

"Rick told me that you found out about my seeing Elijah," Elena confessed uneasily. "I wanted to see how you're doing with that."

"How do you think I feel about that, Elena?" laughed Damon bitterly. "The woman that I love, again chooses someone else to be with. I'm never good enough..."

"I didn't choose him, Damon," snapped Elena defensivly. "We just... it's so hard to explain. I never planned for this to happen. I never wanted to hurt you like this, Damon," pleaded Elena, near tears.

"So you're with him, now? It just wasn't a random hook up? Tell me it was a mistake. I'd give anything for you to say it was just a stupid mistake," Damon begged, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Damon, I don't know what I can say that my relationship with Elijah is. I can't put a label to it. We've been spending time together, and we have a connection... but I can't say anything more then that because I don't even know yet what it really is."

"A connection... I'll say..." Damon spat bitterly. He let go of her.

"That isn't fair, Damon, and you know it. I never cheated on you. We're not even together, Damon. So don't treat me like I've done something wrong."

"I thought you cared for me," He hissed, using her own words against her.

"And I do. But it's never went further then that. It never does, Damon. You expect me to wait for something that can never happen?"

"It could have happened, Elena, if you weren't so afraid of what your little friends would think. Of what Stefan would think... don't put this on me."

"Damon, I don't know what you want..."

"I want you! It's always been you! It's always about you! But you don't care, you never really care about me... I'm just something to string along when something else isn't in the way."

"Damon, please..."

"No. I'm done. I'm done with this," He hissed.

"But not before I show you what you'll be missing."

He then lunged for her with his vampire speed and grabbed her and pulled her into a brutal, passionate kiss. Damon then dropped her to the floor and vanished, leaving Elena alone in the Salvatore house to cry over their lost friendship. Their lost love. Their last chance which was now gone.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

He found her sobbing on the floor of the living room. He had heard her fight with Damon from across the house. Normally he would have flew across the house, right to her rescue, but after hearing the words between Damon and Elena, something had stopped him dead in his tracks.

It was the cold realization that somewhere along the way he had managed to lose not only the woman he loved, but she had somehow developed feelings for his brother. Much more than simply feelings. It was something much more complicated by far. And they would never explore them or pursue them, because of him. He was still here, which made it impossible for her to let go of the past. Or at least impossible for her to give into the feelings she had for his brother.

Now, apparently, Elena had moved on. Or was begining too. She was involving herself with Elijah again, and they apparently had made some changes to their relationship as well. They were lovers and Damon had somehow discovered this. Now it was over for Damon with Elena. His brother, again burned by the woman he loved, had too much hurt for too long. He had enough.

Stefan knew he should be happy for the fact that maybe someday Elena and himself might work past all the things that Klaus had brought between them. They might actually find a way to return to the two teenagers that were in love once, and see where the future might take them. Now that Damon had stepped aside, maybe he would have the woman he loved once more in his life.

But then another reality hit Stefan hard.

Too much time had now past. Elena was different. He himself would never be the same again. And that meant there was no going back to what they were. Not ever.

When he looked upon her though, something deep inside began to break within him. It hurt him to see her in so much pain. Despite everything, he was still in love with her. That hurt too, so much.

He went over to her and slowly gathered her close and allowed her to cry.

Despite everything, he would always love her. But he would never tell her so, he could never tell her so. Not ever again.

It was time that both himself and his brother did the best thing possible for the woman they loved. Let her go and find her own way.

Stefan held her until dawn and then walked her home.

"I was getting worried about you."

Elena jumped, physically shakened by the arrival of the unexpected visitor in her bedroom. It had been three days since she had seen Elijah. Three days since they had expressed their hopes for their newfounded side to their relationship. Three days since she had utterly broken the heart of Damon Salvatore too.

"Sorry," She muttered, near a sleepy whisper. It was six after seven in the morning, and Elijah was dressed to the nines. In the most fitting, dapper blue and black suit. His hair, of course, always perfection. Elena couldn't help but give a slight smile despite her gloom. "Way to catch a girl coming out of the bathroom," She finished with a light chuckle, trying to lighten her mood for his sake. She took a moment to adjust her pajama bottoms and he chuckled too.

"You are so stunningly human, Elena. Truly perfection," Elijah murmered, taking her in with his eyes.

"Thank you," Elena replied, obviously pleased. "I'm sorry I haven't been in touch. It's not that I didn't want to be, it's just, well, Damon found out, about how I have been spending so much time with you," Elena told him with uncertainty in her voice.

"Did you tell him that we are lovers?"

He suddenly was before her, not giving Elena anytime to blink. He gently held her at arms length to steady her with a warm smile. She blushed at the contact.

"Actually, he already knew... He... he..." Elena trailed off, not knowing how to say it. It still hurt to think about how much she had hurt Damon. Elena wasn't certain about what that meant. Did she really, in fact, love him too? And if she did, what did that mean for the feelings that she knew she still had for Stefan and as well as the growing feelings she had for the original vampire before her? Could she really be in love with three men?

And how ridiculously fickle did that make her? Guilt and shame overcame her, and she casted her head down.

"He saw..." Elijah trailed off, taking in how obviously affected that she was by this information. He surprisingly backed away from her, causing her to look back at him.

"Perhaps, Elena. We should hault this part, this new part, of our relationship. For awhile," He offered kindly. His voice showed how much he hated even suggesting this to her. "Until you know where you stand with the Salvatore brothers."

"But I ..." She burst out. She honestly didn't know what she was going to say. She stopped. Tears filling her eyes.

"But what, Elena?" He urged her hopefully.

Elena froze. She didn't want things to end between them. Not ever. But she also had no idea what to make of the feelings she still held for Stefan and Damon. She had no idea if she could turn away from them, or if she would ever want to do so. And that was exactly what she needed to do, if she wanted to continue with Elijah. Whatever this was between them.

"I honestly don't know what I want, and I know exactly what I want, all at once," Elena told him, trying her best not to cry. She could see him slowly trying to shut off his feelings for her to prepare for what she was going to say, and it broke her heart to know that he might not let himself love her because she could not make up her mind. "I want to move on with my life, Elijah. I know that I have to decide, soon. But it's so hard. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"Elena," He began, reaching for her. "I believe that, in this situation, that is completely unavoidable. There will be someone that has to be let down. Perhaps more than one, perhaps all three of us."

"What? What do you mean, all three?"

He smiled, so sadly, and reached for the tear that escaped down her cheek. "Elena, if you haven't noticed by now, I'll say it for you. I'm not a man that you can marry and live happily ever after with. We would never have a house filled with our children. You would never take our children to play at the park, because those children, Elena, will never exist. If you choose me, you will never have the life you deserve. Stefan and Damon are in the same boat as myself. We have nothing to really ever offer you if you choose either of us. It will never be a happy life, Elena, although a very long one can come by loving me."

Elijah then moved forward and kissed her forhead before letting her go.

"It's over with me and Stefan. You know that!" She tried to plead, sensing that he was letting her go.

"No, it will never be over for you with Stefan, Elena. You're in love with him, still. And he, with you. You've just reached an impossible inpass. It's the vampire that has gotten between you and the boy you met and fell in love with. It's up to you both to decide if you can get past it. Damon, despite all of his never ending list of problems, loves you just as deeply as his brother does. You'll never have the life you deserve with him either, but he would love you, Elena."

"You sound like you don't want me to choose you," She accused, finally letting the bitter tears fall.

"You are right about that, Elena. I don't want you to choose me. I cannot give you the life that you truly want. It would be wrong to choose me. If you are with me, Elena. Truly with me, and no one else, it means that you've chosen to give up on life itself. I would never want that for you," He confessed, while knowing it could earn her hatred. She was falling in love with him, and it made Elijah afraid for her. But her reaction to Damon knowing about their new relationship spoke of her true feelings. There was part of her, at least, that loved Damon as well. That meant he would never truly have her until she decided what she really wanted.

And she had to decide. It had to be her choice.

"So this is it, then?" Elena went on, not fully understanding what he was getting too, and also fearing it. He didn't want to lose her, but he also loved her enough to let her choose what she really wanted. Even if that meant a life without him. "We're not together, anymore?"

He hated her tears. He hated that he was breaking her heart, but he had to do this for her. He had to step out of it.

"We have never been together, Elena."

His words were like a knife to her heart. "No, don't..." She begged him as he came towards her, forcing her face in his hands.

"We have never been together, my love. You will forget that we have ever changed the aspects of our relationship. You will only remember our time together when you know who you really want to be with," Elijah whispered with unmasked heartbreak, lovingly touching her face, before helping her back to her bed and helping her sleep by one last compultion. Elijah then left by her bedroom door, stopping briefly to tell Alaric that he will no longer be involved so personally in Elena's life, and he should never mention it to her. He found her brother and did the same.

Upon leaving the house, he was startled to notice Elena sitting in her bedroom window, staring lost into the night sky. She failed to notice him and he slipped away into the night.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"So where has your lovely Elena been, Elijah? I haven't been asked to leave my house for the sake of one of your little interludes in over a month," pressed Klaus, finding his brother sitting in the libary of his new home that they had been sharing.

"I have ended our ... relationship, Nicklaus," admitted Elijah reluctantly. "Such as it was. Elena is still deeply emersed between the Salvatore brothers. I have done her the favor of stepping out of things. I will not be intefering any further with her life."

"Afraid that you cannot convience her that you're the better man... or vampire, I should say, as it were," teased Klaus.

"She deserves a man, Nicklaus. That is the point. A human man who can give her what she deserves. I haven't been human in a very long time." Elijah snapped his book shut with a loud bang.

"But the Petrova women seem to be drawn to something other than a man, Elijah. A man who is destined for something other than a simplistic life. "

"I thought you wanted this, Nicklaus. To ensure Elena continues the Petrova line," Elijah shot back rather bitterly. He stood up and moved towards his brother in a flash.

"Yes," Klaus admitted, somewhat sarcastically. "But I also am reminded about Elisabetha. I do wish happiness for you, brother."

"Do not ever speak her name to me, again, Nicklaus," Elijah snapped, darkly.

"Who, brother? Elisabetha, or your lovely Elena?" quipped Klaus. "I wonder what Salvatore brother will enjoy her next after you..."

Elijah then quickly turned, solidly punching Klaus in the face, sending Klaus into a near by wall full of books.

"I believe you heard what I said, Nicklaus. I may not be able to kill you myself, Nicklaus, but I can certainly do enough damage to hurt you before you kill me," Elijah snarled.

"Fine!" spat Klaus, rather bitterly. "I'll leave it. But I think I need to tell you something about my coffins, Elijah. Stefan, has the others. Are we still going ahead with our plan to get them back?"

"I will do it." Elijah said.

"Are you sure, brother?"

"Yes," Elijah declared, although not believing his own words.

* * *

><p>Elena had been spending more time with Damon over the last couple of weeks. It was difficult to know what to do with herself, between wondering and fearing, when Klaus might decide to simply take her away to be his human blood bag for his hybrids. He had tried once before, after all. Elena still had nightmares about waking up in the hospital.<p>

Her time with Damon consisted of games of pool at the Mystic Grill, and wine and dancing and laughing. Elena felt happy when he was around. But there was still Stefan to consider.

He was always there. It made it difficult to focus on Damon and try too see if something more could happen between them other than friendship. After all the times he had saved her, been there for her, Elena felt obligated to see if something greater could happen between them. Especially since she had nothing else happening in the romantic department.

Stefan was there in her life still. She knew she still loved him. But they had never reconnected. Even after all these months, there was just nothing there anymore to hold on too.

Elena left the Salvatore house after another date with Damon. He was sweet with her. Kind, loving. He hadn't yet made a move. There were only kisses, nothing else. Elena suspected that he was waiting for her to take that step.

Elena got to the end of the drive way, holding her bag and jacket, and stopped upon hearing an owl hoot. A hand then shot out of no where to her mouth and arms snatched her unforgivingly into a strong hold. Before she could scream, they were gone in a flash.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Elena forced herself to open her eyes. The room she was in was familiar and dark. This was Elijah's bedroom inside of Klaus's house. He had her tied up to a chair from the dinning room.

She knew the room was familiar, but she wasn't sure as to why. Elena knew she had come here to see Elijah a few weeks ago. He had told her all about Elisabetha, the girl that had been set to marry Nicklaus. The girl that he himself had come to love. But the girl had ended up being taken away from both original brothers in the end.

Elena couldn't understand why Elijah had kidnapped her though. They had never had the easiest start to their relationship, but Elena didn't understand why Elijah would kidnap her now. Klaus was in Mystic Falls, so if he had wanted her, it wasn't like he couldn't have done it himself.

"Elijah?" She called out. Something moved behind her, lightening fast. Elena let out a scream when Elijah then suddenly was before her, faster than she could even blink. "Elijah, what the hell is this? Why would you take me?" She insisted after regaining her self control.

He reached out, gently brushing the hair away that had fallen in her face. "Elena, we feel it's time that your friend, Stefan, returns what is rightfully ours. Until he does, we have taken the one thing that the youngest Salvatore holds equally precious to himself. If he complies, quickly, you will be returned to your life."

"But what if he doesn't?" Elena asked nervously. Stefan had gone off the rails and had stayed there. There was no telling what they could expect from him, and Elena knew that Stefan could not be counted on to do something to save her.

Elijah gave a small smile and reached out to brush her face again with his fingers. "Oh, I can think of something to keep you busy, Elena, for the next few dozen centries or so," He whispered seductively. Elena quivered at his touch and forced herself to look away from those deep dark eyes that threated to devour her, heart and soul.

"Please, don't," She pleaded.

"Now, Elena, I'm an honorable man. You don't have anything to fear from me. I would never do anything to you, that you didn't want me too," He promised with a purr, cupping her chin before trailing fingers down her neck. "Or that you didn't beg me to do to you."

Elena quivered again, but this time from overwhelming desire. "Why?" She asked, ever so softly. Her tone defeated.

"What are you asking me, Elena?" He then teased.

"Why do I feel this way when I'm around you?"

Her question startled him from the mid set he had been trying to follow with Klaus's orders., Take the girl, have some fun with her, keep her from the Salvatore brothers until one gave up the family coffins.

Did she remember their time together despite his compultion? Or was she already starting to remember because she already knew how she felt about him?

"How do you feel, Elena?" He finally dared to ask after a painful silence.

"Like I'm lost when I'm around you. I feel lost when I'm not with you too."

"Elena..." He breathed, not knowing what to say next.

"Why do I feel this way?" She then pleaded again. "It's like half of me is missing. I don't know who I am anymore."

"Are things not working out with the elder Mr. Salvatore?" He shot back almost spitefully. Elijah knew that Elena was only seeing the younger vampire because he had pushed her completely away. He had even taken her memories from her. But there was a jealousy that threatened to burn him alive when he thought of Elena with anyone else but him.

Elena then looked at him as if he had slapped her. "Damon believes that he loves me. Sometimes I think he really does. Sometimes I believe that I love him. But... "

"But what, Elena?" He pressed. This conversation was too hauntingly familiar, but he had to know what she was really feeling. He just had too.

"But he's not... Damon's not... well, I don't love him like you should love someone. If that makes sense."

Tenderly, he wiped away a tear from her cheek. "How should you love someone, Elena?" He then whispered, fighting away tears himself.

"Completely and utterly," She replied. "There should be no room to question how you feel about someone. You should just know it. You should just feel it when you're together..." Elena seemed lost, staring into his eyes when she spoke the words. Elijah had never felt more connected to her, and yet, she still had no idea about the time they had shared together.

It threatened to rip his heart from his chest knowing she could not remember their time together on her own. What had he done? Would she ever forgive him this?

Elena then seemed to be moving towards him, but the chair had stopped her. Had she been trying to kiss him? She blinked as if just realizing what she had been doing.

"Are you going to let him kill me?" She then asked fearfully.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Damon stared at the note in his hands. Written in perfect script.

If you want to see the lovely Elena alive again, you will provide me with my families coffins. You have three days to contact me to make arrangements, before I take her away and you both never see her again. No more.

Elijah

"Stefan, we have a problem!" shouted Damon from the living room of the Salvatore house.

"What is it?" Stefan insisted, coming from inbehind a book shelf to the right. He looked at the note. "Well, we got to get her back!"

"We need to give up your undead vampire collection. That is what we have to do," spat Damon. "Time to show me where they are, brother."

"Fine. But giving them up won't stop Klaus. He'll still want Elena."

"We'll deal with that when the time comes. Now, lets go," snapped Damon, leading the way out of the house.

"Elijah, please, let me go," Elena said, watching the original enter his bedroom again, lights still out in the room. Only a dim light appeared in the room because the light in the hallway was still on. To her mild surprise, he had a plate full of food. Roast beef, potatos, salad. He also carried a glass of sweet smelling red wine. Her stomach gave an unwilling growl.

``You`re hungry. Lets fix that,`` He offered kindly. Elijah sat the food and wine down on a near by table and then freed her from the chair. ``I can trust you not to run, I hope."

"I'm not running," Elena agreed, rubbing her forarms briefly before standing up. She staggered slightly and he was there to catch her. Hands on her waist, he couldn't help but gaze upon her and she him. Elena started to move forward again, putting a hand to his shoulder. She leaned closer to kiss him, again lost in the moment. Their noses touched and he decided to break the spell. "Elena, your Salvatore brothers might be upset to find that they've lost you to the likes of me," He nearly choked, feeling weak at her closeness. She gently touched his face with a small hand and forced a sad smile. "Lucklily that's not the case here then," Elena agreed, not masking her disapointment. He freed himself from her, but carefully helped her towards the food and brought her chair closer for her to sit.

"Always the gentleman," Elena chuckled, but her tone bitter. Elijah found it difficult to breath when she looked up at him with those lovely dark eyes again.

"Nicklaus wants to use you against the Salvatores to retain our family back. You are to be in my keeping, so I will ensure that your stay with us is a more pleasant one than it has been, thus far."

"Thank you," Elena beamed at his politness, while happily taking a good portion of beef. She ate and swollowed it with a smile.

"You may have my room and I will have your things brought to you."

"Where will you stay?"

He was surprised to hear concern in her tone.

"Here, but I do not require rest like yourself, so the bed is yours. I would take a different room, but considering who's house we are in, I don't think that's a good idea."

Elena's eyes seemed to agree with him, but she said nothing.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Where's the fourth coffin, Stefan? It's the one they really want," snapped Damon, noticing three coffins, not four. They were inside the old witches house, where Stefan had been hiding the original family.

"I hid it, in the bottom of our house," Stefan admitted. He then started opening up the coffin lids.

"What the hell are you doing?" Damon demanded, nearly wild eyed. He couldn't believe what his brother was doing. They'd never get Elena back now.

"I'm waking them up," Stefan said, his tone dark.

He had three daggers in his hands in seconds. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"Damon, even if we gave over the coffins, Klaus will never give Elena up. He needs her blood. Once Elijah lets Klaus in the picture, Elena is doomed to do whatever they want. By setting the originals free, we might get them on our side and have a chance at saving Elena."

"Why do you think Elijah would never give Elena back?"

Stefan smirked, wondering how Damon would react to this bit of information. "Isn't it obvious, Damon? He's in love with her. And he's never going to let her go back to us. This way, we even the playing field a little more."

"Well, I loved her first, and I'm not giving up on her."

"No, I loved her first, remember?" Stefan reminded his brother. "And I know that we have to let her go, if we ever want to have her back again."

"I really hope you're right, brother."

"I know I am," Stefan said.

* * *

><p>She moved in her sleep on the bed and he seemed to be alert to her every movement. Elijah tried to focus on the view from the window, but his eyes kept following Elena. He couldn't resist her, even now.<p>

Finally, he gave in. He walked slowly towards her while she lay asleep on the bed. He felt drawn to her, powerless under her presence. Without thinking, Elijah reached for her on the bed. His fingertips traced the soft skin of her face, and then to her lips. She stired and then opened her eyes. Her dark eyes seemed to pull him right in, effortlessly. "Can't sleep?" Her voice was so delightfully filled with sleep. It made him smile.

"No, I cannot. While you're here, I'm not sure if that will be possible," He admitted softly. He sat beside her. She seemed pleased at this new closeness.

"I had a dream about us."

This startled him. Did she know that he compelled her?

"A dream?" He whispered as the guilt ate away at him.

She sat up more, causing the blanket to fall, revealing the silk nightgown he had obtained for her. One of many.

"We were in a small office and we were making love. It seemed so... so real."

Elijah couldn't help but be intrigued. Was she trying to seduce him or was she really starting to remember things on her own? Perhaps both.

"Elena," He said softly, tracing the skin of her neck.

She moved her legs to wrap them around his waist and drew herself close to him. She carefully wedged herself into his arms. A small hand cupped his face and she gave him an almost wistful smile. "I have been wanting this..." She trailed off, pressing her lips to his, quickly, in case he decided to pull away. "How could you think this wasn't right?" She then breathed, pulling away from him, but not far away. She was still in his arms.

"You remembered..." He seemed amazed and she kissed his chin in response.

"Elijah, I can't let this go. I can't let you go. Please, don't make me do so again."

"Elena, what are you saying? Are you certain that I'm your choice? There's no going back from it, because I will never surrender you to Damon and Stefan. Not ever again. Choose wisely, Elena," He warned.

"I've made my choice. I want to be with you, Elijah."

It was he who took the next kiss. He claimed her mouth, demanding and insisting. The silk gave way with a helpful tug and she helped him out of his suit jacket. He took command of their love making, holding true to his vow. He would never give her up. Not ever again.

* * *

><p>Elijah dressed first and returned with new clothes for Elena to wear for the day. He showed her the outside grounds and discussed what he knew about Elisabetha further. It was almost as if they were friends simply enjoying the day together. Lovers enjoying everything about the other. He chased her into the rose bushes, and enjoyed the scent of her blood as it dripped from her fingers which she so helpfully put in his mouth.<p>

The moment, beautifully erotic, was interupted by the arrival of two unexpected guests.

"Stefan, Damon," Elena whispered, startled at their sudden arrival.

Slowly, Elijah released her fingers from his mouth, but held her hand in his still. "Gentleman, I am happy to see that this situation will end peacefully, for Elena's sake."

"I'm thinking that Elena was in no danger, for some reason. Unless you're into biting her, of course," Damon spat spitefully.

Elena looked away, her face burning. She wasn't ashamed that the Salvatores now were fully aware of her relationship with Elijah, but she would have rather told them about it, rather than them seeing something so intimate and suggestive. "Damon, who holds my hand, or who takes my blood, or who sleeps in my bed, is my own business."

"Did you tell Elijah about your sleeping in my bed, Elena?" Damon snarled, furious.

"You can keep your vulgarity to yourself, Mr. Salvatore," Elijah replied threatenly. "If you cannot... I can ensure that you will never have the chance to discuss anything else with her, ever again. Are we clear?"

"Very," growled Damon.

"Where are the coffins?" Elijah insisted.

"They're not in the coffins anymore, Elijah. We let them go," Stefan said, near bragging.

Elijah was then suddenly before Stefan, imposing as ever. "Where have they gone too, then, Mr. Salvatore?"

"Stefan, please..." Elena insisted quietly. There was a sudden fear in her voice.

"Why don't you take your whore, and get the hell out of Mystic Falls, already?" hissed Stefan.

"Well, thank you then, Stefan. You have been most helpful," promised Elijah. He raised an arm and Elena was there to catch it. Honestly surprised, he turned and looked at her. "Not like this, Elijah. Please?" begged Elena.

"I was serious when I said that I wouldn't share you, Elena. And I so sincerely believed you when you said you only wanted me."

His tone was dark, bitter, and hurt. Shaking, Elena didn't know how to react. She was in love with Elijah, but she still cared about Stefan and Damon both. She didn't want a relationship with either brother, but she knew it was Elijah for her now. If Elijah didn't believe that, Stefan was as good as dead.

"Elijah, I..." Before Elena could react, it was over. Stefan's heart was ripped from his chest and his body slumped to the floor. Elena screamed and fell to the floor beside him. Shaking, she could barely move. What had she done?

"No!" Elena screamed in horror. Damon could barely see through his own tears. "He really didn't know..." Whispered Damon sadly, looking over his brothers body.

"Now, Mr. Salvatore, you may take what is left of your brother and leave. Never darken this doorstep again."

"Not without Elena," Damon pressed, shaking from barely controled rage.

Elena was torn between wanting to flee with Damon and remaining with Elijah. If she didn't stay, she suspected the same fate would befall Damon too. Tearfully, Elena told Damon to leave. She was right where she wanted to be. Damon gathered up his brother and then left, defeated.

Alone with Elijah, this was the first time in a long time that Elena remembered being terrified of him. "How could you do it?" She pleaded angrily and with obvious heartbreak.

"He held a piece of you with him, Elena. I will not have it. And he went too far. He stepped into matters that are of no concern to him, or his brother."

"But he did it for me. He did it because of me," confessed Elena sadly.

"Elena, let us no longer speak of this matter. If your other Mr. Salvatore steps in my way, he will meet the same fate."

He offered his hand to her and Elena knew she had no choice.

**I just wanted to thank everyone who's been reading along. I know I'm making Elijah a little dark here, but it isn't over. Things will be explained a little more in the next few updates. Especially why he is doing what he's doing in this update. Thanks. I should update by Tuesday. Sarah. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Damon had left the mansion gounds with the remains of her once beloved, Stefan. Elena had watched him leave with a detached, emotionless, stunned expression. It had truly been like watching a scene from a horror movie and it was all to the thanks of her new beloved... or Elena had hoped that one day he would be her new beloved. Now she could only look upon him with complete devestation and horror. Her heart ached for the loving, gentle side he had shown her in their brief new relationship. Now all that was left was simply cold and monsterous.

He had brought her back in the house, grabbing her by the arm, leading the way. Elena never put up a fight. She was too stunned and kept replaying the death of Stefan in her mind.

He escorted her into a large libary that she had never seen before and motioned for her to sit at the near by oak desk. Quietly, Elena nearly fell into the chair. Her legs giving out. Elijah had managed to catch her by the waist and paused, shocked by the familiarity of her closeness. "Elena..." He began. He really didn't know where to begin.

"Are you going to rip my heart out too?" She soon hissed. Her chest hurt at the venom in her voice. She didn't want to hate this man. She loved this man and he had just murdered one of the most important persons to ever enter her young life.

Elijah then stepped oddly close, until they were an inch apart. A devestating smirk crossed his face. Elena wanted to claw it off of him. "If you only insist, love," He promised in a sarcastic tone, hidden with the promise to follow through on his vow. She shuddered with a new fear that she had never felt before. The gaze from his dark eyes, his so lovely dark eyes, threatened to make her want to die inside as his intensity held her. Elijah then reached for her arm, slowly, seductively running a hand up it, resting at her bare neck, and getting lost in her long, thick, strait hair. "Still haven't figured it out yet, love?" he cooed.

Elena then slowly began to realize what was so off about Elijah just now. he didn't sound like himself. He sounded like... Klaus.

Oh no.

A bitter, hateful memory spilled from her thoughts. Of the time when Klaus had controled Alaric's body and had made him try and kill her and Bonnie.

Had he suceeded in doing this to Elijah as well?

How long had this been going on, if that was the case?

"And she finally catches on," whispered Klaus, deadly seductive, touching her face and leaning into her neck with Elijah's vampire features staring back at her. An evil, monsterous smile froze forever in her mind as Klaus used Elijah's body to drain her dry, slowlying ripping away her clothes, and taking his pleasure in her. Elena was too stunned, too devestated to think of even trying to fight him. She had loved him. She had really loved him. And it had just been Klaus playing with her, over and over again.

* * *

><p>Elena had passed out from shock before Klaus had managed his worst with her. She could feel that he had used her body. Had used her and Elijah... over and again. Tears threatened to heave from her chest and she faught them down as she forced herself to sit up and then stand. Her clothes were ripped and torn everywhere. She felt bite marks on her neck and brusies where he had touched and grabbed and groped her.<p>

Elena went to move for the door way to the libary and nearly fell over upon seeing Elijah's sister Rebekah standing before her in all her blond haired glory. She wore a stunning blue blouse and black pants. She looked like an avenging angel. Death itself had come to finish her off.

"What do you want?" Elena managed, then wincing in pain.

"I see my brothers have been playing with you, Elena. Klaus has taken control of Elijah, but then, I guess you already know that," the original sister said with somewhat gentle pity in her tone, taking in Elena's broken, bloodied apperance. "You need to get out of here before Klaus returns. He plans to keep you and Elijah like this. I cannot help my brother, but I can give you a chance to run for your life."

"Thank you..." Elena managed, before fighting her way to the front doors, refusing to look back.

* * *

><p>Elena had somehow managed to find her way home in the dark. She smiled through the blood coming from her mouth. The walk to home had been too much. Elena knew that something important was broken inside. Elena reached for the door handle and staggered when it opened by itself. She fell into Rick's arms.<p>

"My god, Elena," He cried, startled. He quickly gathered her up into his arms and cried out for Jeremy before hurrying to his car.

* * *

><p>Damon Salvatore hurried to the hospital as quickly as he could. Rick had called him and said that Elena had escaped Elijah and found her way home, and was now in the hospital, dying from all the injuries she had been given.<p>

She had been raped. Not by a human, given the extent of the brutality she had suffered. The internal injuries had been the worst of it, although Elena's flawless olive skin was now a horrific display of what had befallen her.

Jeremy was seated alone in the waiting room, his face in his hands. His body shaking. The kid did not want to lose the last member of his family and Damon couldn't blame him. Damon was now alone too, after all. A pain so deep threatened to destroy Damon, but he forced it away. He had two people in this world that he had loved. One, his brother, although Damon would never say it aloud. So much had come between them over the decades. Lastly, Elena.

And the other person that he loved was laying in the hospital bed before him, completely unrecognizable. He gasped in horror and had to look away. He had just lost his brother and now Elijah had managed to take the woman he loved away from him too. Shakily, Damon stepped out of the room. Her heart was slowing down. There was no time left to save her.

A black rage then filled him up and Damon did not see the nurse who was walking up to him until she touched his arm. "Sir?"

Then abruptly, the people all around them be damned, Damon grabbed for her neck and buried his fangs into her flesh, ripping and tearing. He then released her and then dropped her to the floor and snapped the neck of a lady doctor before rushing out the doors.

* * *

><p>"Elijah... or should I say Nick?" growled Rebekah, sitting in the libary that had witnessed the brutal attack on the young doppelganger, the one that obviously held Elijah's fancy.<p>

"Rebekah," Klaus began, seemingly startled that she already new his dirty little secret. "I can explain."

"Oh, I could care less how you play with your new doppelganger doll, Nick. But I do care about what you have done to this family, and what you have done to Elijah. Why, brother? You know how much this will destroy him. After Elisabetha, I thought you had learned your lesson."

"Do not say her name!" growled Klaus, using vampire speed to stand before his sister.

"You simply couldn't allow our brother to have some joy, could you? It's been one thousand years, Nick."

"Do not judge me, little sister!" Klaus hissed.

"Or what Nick?" asked a familiar voice. Klaus turned in shock. It was his younger brother, Kol. Dangerous, uncontrolable Kol.

"Kol..." Klaus nearly staggered, not liking having two of his siblings in the room with him.

"What have you done with your body, Nick?" Rebekah then insisted. "And you will be going back to it, and setting Elijah free."

"You can't make me do anything," Klaus growled.

"But I can."

Klaus turned around and dropped to his knee's. It was his mother.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"Look at me!"

Klaus blinked in complete astonishment and fear. It was his mother. After over one thousand years of living with knowing he had killed her in cold blood, who had been the only loving parent he had ever known, she was here before him.

"Mother..." He whispered, trembling from emotion. He then forced himself to look at her, dead on.

"You killed me, my dear boy," She whispered softly, sadly now. "You broke my heart, Nicklaus. And then you ripped it out."

Klaus nodded, blinking back angry tears. "Mother, I had not set out... I never intended for matters to end the way that they did."

She paused, considering his words. "You were hurt, you were angry with me. You blamed me for how Mikael treated you. I regret the hurt you endured at his hand, my son. I had thought, I had hoped he would accept you if he had believed that he was your natural father. I had prayed that if he had ever discovered... that it wouldn't matter by then. Because he would have loved you anyway. I am so sorry, my son," exclaimed Esther. She reached out to Klaus, cupping the face of her eldest son, Elijah, in her hands.

Klaus nodded again, letting his mother touch him. Seemingly takening comfort in her mere presence. "But my boy, you have brought a world of hurt upon this family, and for that, you must pay."

Esther then placed a hand to Klaus's chest before he could react and he then screamed as his mother used her magic to bring him to his knees.

Rebekah and Kol looked worried only when the body of their brother, Elijah, completely colapsed.

"Are they still alive?" begged Rebekah, rushing to Elijah's side. He was a corpse. Completely lifeless.

"Elijah should awaken within the hour. Nicklaus is still alive, where ever he is," murmered Esther secretly. "Kol, get your brother to the sofa."

Kol scowled but then sighed and gathered up his brother enough to get him over to the sofa in the room. Elijah's clothes were dirty and smelled like blood mixed with that of his doppelganger friend. She was everywhere on him. Kol was interested to hear the story behind Elijah's hard looking apperance. But then he decided that perhaps he was better off not knowing. Klaus had been in control of Elijah after all.

* * *

><p>Somewhere, deep within the basement of his house, Klaus pounded on the inside of a coffin lid which was magically sealed. He could not get out and he couldn't breath. He then let out an enraged scream.<p>

* * *

><p>Rebekah stood watch over her older brother, fearing what Elijah will be like once he awakens again. Elijah was the most moral being she had ever encountered in her entire one thousand years of life. He was the opposite of Nick, although could most certainly match Nick in temper when tested.<p>

Elijah would not be able to deal with the things he had done while under their brothers control. He had fallen into an affair with the young doppelganger. Elijah was never one to take advantage of a woman, either vampire or human. This would devestate him. Especially to hear of her death. For the moment, Rebekah allowed herself to care. She allowed herself to feel.

* * *

><p>"Mr. Saltzman, you are Miss Gilbert's guardian, are you not?" asked a doctor, finding Alaric with Jeremy in the waiting room. It had been hours. Rick had never bothered to leave the hospital to look for Damon after the wreakage he had left behind him. He had been too afraid to leave Elena and Jeremy.<p>

"Yeah, I am," Alaric admitted uneasily. He had a really bad feeling. A really terrible feeling that something had gone wrong with Elena, his young charge. Very wrong.

"I'm very sorry, but Miss Gilbert passed away five minutes ago due to her injuries she sustained.

And the world was dark again. Alaric couldn't stop thinking about Jenna when the doctor lead him away down the hall and how he had failed her, yet again. He had her niece in his care and now she was dead too. Something deep inside Alaric then began to break. He tried to block out the sound of Jeremy sobbing brokenly over his lost sister. He wouldn't get through the moment if he didn't.

* * *

><p>The morge was a very cold place. Elena decided this, but she couldn't open her eyes yet. She could hear. She could see. Well, not see with her eyes, but with a deep, hidden other sense.<p>

And somewhere else in Mystic Falls, Elijah woke up.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"Elijah, do you remember anything?" asked Rebekah nervously, seeing her brother sitting up and then flying on his feet within the span of an eye blink. Elijah began taking in his harsh appearance and then staggered slightly.

"Klaus... he daggered me and kidnapped me the night after Elena ... came to the house. Oh no..." He finished with increasing worry in his tone. "How long did he..." Elijah trailed off, it was still so unspeakable.

"Mother guessed at least two weeks..."

"Mother..." Elijah gasped. "I don't understand..."

"Mother was in the coffin that wouldn't open. The doppelganger's friends opened the lid on all of our coffins. We are free, Elijah." beamed Rebekah.

"I am sorry, sister," began Elijah. "The last I heard you were in California fifteen years ago..."

"Afraid not," confessed Rebekah with annoyance. "Nick locked me away in a box back in the 1920s. He released me late last year, before daggering me, yet again."

Elijah reached for her arm but fell forward. Rebekah caught him. "What is it?"

"Nicklaus... he... he used me. He used me for his dirty work... for what he wanted to do with Elena. He made me... he made me..." Elijah staggered again, long buried emotions getting the best of him. He let out a surprising cry of horror from his chest.

"Are you alright?" pleaded Rebekah.

"No," Elijah managed to speak, furiously wiping at his eyes. "Where is Elena, now?" He instead insisted.

"Brother... " Rebekah began, trailing off. She had no idea how to tell him the truth. Tears filled her eyes upon seeing the love and worry that he had for the girl. "I am so very sorry, Elijah. I was keeping track of her at the hospital for you, when I knew you'd be alright."

"What is it?" Elijah nearly growled, stopping her.

"She was very seriously injured by Klaus. The man I compelled said she died over an hour ago."

"No," hissed Elijah, his eyes going black with rage and grief. They had just found each other and Klaus had to find a way to ruin it all. Elijah had flashes of Stefan Salvatore dying at his hand and Elena's terrified scream. Her slow realization over what Klaus had done now and then... he recalled ripping clothes, ripping flesh, enjoying her blood like a glass of rare wine. Enjoying every part of her body, every inch... her screaming, her clawing at his back and chest, and then finally a dead silence. And he didn't stop there.

He gave out a broken, horrified cry and fell to the floor in his grief. Rebekah remained with him, lost on what to do for him, but stayed with him anyway. Hoping to hold him somehow into present reality. She had already lost two brothers. Klaus... Nick... had betrayed her and Finn had decided right away to leave them all behind forever. She wouldn't lose Elijah too.

* * *

><p>Damon Salvatore couldn't sleep. Not that he needed too much. Elena was gone. Surprisingly the Mystic Falls police department had failed to realize the small murder spree at the hospital was done by his hand. Elena was gone. As much as he tried too, he couldn't think of much else.<p>

He had loved her. Oh, how he had fallen for her with everything that he had. His brother's girl, no less. Even when their relationship had fallen apart, Elena had never failed in her loyalty to Stefan. There had been feelings between them, an attraction that could set the world on fire even, but she had never stopped being Stefan's girl.

And it had broken his heart in ways that Damon had never believed was still possible.

Elena was gone. Stefan too.

Damon stared lostly, dispassionately into the fireplace, seeking a reason to go on.

* * *

><p>It had taken dozens of hours it seemed, but Elijah had finally regained some control over himself. He had cleaned himself up and had changed his clothes, but was staring out into the night from the same libary where Klaus had taken advantage of Elena and Elijah both. Rebekah had never seen her brother look so lost.<p>

"Elijah, we will be going with mother to ensure the trap she set for Nick keeps sealed. From there, we will be looking for a new home. Finn has gone his own way, will you be too?"

Elijah blinked, finally realizing he wasn't alone for the first time in the large, massive libary. "Rebekah, I believe that would be best that I do. Perhaps someday... but, for now, I feel it's best that I remain alone," Elijah declared blankly.

Rebekah's eyes filled up with tears and she quickly embraced her brother.

"I love you, brother," She told him. "Don't ever tell Kol I admitted that," She then finished with a sad chuckle.

"I love you... " Elijah trailed off, his own eyes filling with tears. He couldn't bare to hear that four letter word. Perhaps never again. Even if it meant saying it to his little sister. His dear little sister that had always managed to find trouble with Nicklaus when they were growing up. Now, she wouldn't be alone anymore. She had their mother and Kol, and Finn... where ever he was. He was happy for her, although his own heart was broken.

He would never be able to tell Elena how he had felt about her. Never.

"Goodbye," Rebekah whispered, then was gone.

Elijah paused, feeling the aloneness take over him, again.

He moved back to the window and looked out and gasped in surprise. It wasn't his reflection that he saw looking back. It was Elena's. She was dressed in a white lab coat and nothing else. Her hair was every place about her, wet from rain.

Her eyes were a magnificent black.

It appeared as if a beautiful, ancient death had come to claim him in the form of the woman he had loved. "Elena..." He spoke aloud. He turned around and she was gone.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Elena Gilbert was dead.

It took her some hours to realize this. Even waking up in the morge, Elena tried to ignore the obvious truth staring her in the face.

She had died. Elena knew the face of the one who had killed her. She knew it well. She had seen it when she had made love, when her heart swelled with the greatest joy by merely being in his presence. It was the most handsome, beautiful face that she had ever seen in her eighteen years of life. And it had swiftly, brutaily delivered her death to her.

Tears lit up her eyes at the realization that threated to overwhelm and destroy her. Consumed by pain, Elena did the only thing that had crossed her mind to do. She had saught him out. She had went to him.

Elena had expected to see a nightmarish monster in his place, staring back at her. Instead, much to her utter heartbreak, it had just been him there. His eyes, although the most lovely shade of brown, was filled with a pain and sorrow that had matched her own.

Elena refused to believe that her love had done this to her. Something had to have made him do the things, the horrible things, he had done to her. Her sweet, lovely, beautiful Elijah would have never done those unspeakable things to her.

But when she closed her eyes, it was that beautiful face of his that she had seen looking back, mocking her feelings, her caring, her love for him.

Elena, still only dressed in a lab coat, which was sprikled with the blood of the man she had killed for it, over looked the lake infront of her and wept at it's black beauty.

* * *

><p>It had taken over an hour, but Elijah had managed to track her.<p>

A blur of white and black mixed with an odd smell of blood had traveled towards the city park like a flash of lightening. Upon seeing her, Elijah had paused to choke back a smothering wave of emotion. It was in that bitter, heartwrenching moment that he had realized the worst of what he had done to her while under Nicklaus's control.

He had not only killed her, but he had made her into a vampire.

His lovely Elena was dead. And she was a vampire.

Elijah forced himself to follow her down the road and towards the massive lake.

* * *

><p>Elena jumped on instinct upon hearing what sounded like lightening striking, coming up from behind her. Breathless, she felt as if she was suddenly powerless to move upon laying eyes on his beautiful face.<p>

"Elena," He breathed, sounding breathless himself. His dark eyes were bright with tears, and Elena felt strangely, irrisistably drawn into them. But then, she always had, really.

She wanted to move towards him, to fall into his embrace. But she knew what happened when she accepted his embrace. Death. Her death had happened. It was Elijah. Elena could feel it now, so keenly. He was no longer Klaus with an Elijah body, using her for his own means. This was the vampire she had fallen in love with. No. Vampire seemed like an incorrect term when describing the original. He was not a man, either. Not anymore. He was something else, more intensely beautiful to her.

"Elena... I cannot begin to apologize for the actions of my brother..." Elijah trailed off, uneasily. He hesitantly stepped toward her, dressed in a loose dress shirt, blue in color. And black pants. "I don't believe it... I never knew the extent of his plans... I wouldn't have allowed it..." Elijah then just stopped, overwhelmed by emotion building in his voice.

Elena watched him try and fight for control of himself. It was so different to see him this way. Elijah was so much more than a vampire or man. He was so lovely to her that it phisically hurt her to see him in so much pain. "Elijah..." She finally spoke, finding her voice. The sound of it, raspy, startled her. It seemed to surprise Elijah as well as he finally stood again and looked at her.

"Yes... yes, love?" He spoke, his voice soft, like a gentle plea of forgivness.

"Am I dead?" She asked, her voice breaking at the most crueliest word. The one that declared her worst fear.

Elijah's face then crumpled, broken at her words, and he released a building cry before quickly taking control once again of himself. "Elena... I am so sorry to tell you this. But my love, I fear that you have become a vampire. I recall the worst of it... I believe I gave you my blood before you died." He searched her face, waiting as if she would be ready to execute him for his part in her demise.

Elena gave a little sigh and shivered before speaking. She was so cold, she hadn't realized it until now. Elijah moved towards her, removing his dress shirt and covering her shoulders. He hesitatntly touched her shoulders with his hands, steadying her and himself. He was looking at her as if she could vanish forever at any moment. "Elena, please... please allow me to help you. Until... until you are more yourself, I suggest that you come with me. I have a house in the woods, that I haven't used in years, but we can stay there. You'd still be close to home as you regain yourself. I promise you, I give you my word that I will never allow my brother to ever lay harm upon you, ever again. I will help you through your transition, and then we can go from there."

Elena, not being able to speak, as she was so overcome with emotion, answered Elijah the only way that she knew how. She stepped so close to him until she was right before him, and wrapped her slim arms around his neck. He stared at her again, as if drawn in by her mere presence. Elena quickly realized that his reaction was from complete awe by her unquestioning acceptance of his help. Elijah, in turn, then wrapped his left arm completely around her waist, crushing her to him, and then they both vanished into the night.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

He felt it.

Like the wind, he felt her die. Like the wind, he felt her return. Damon Salvatore decided to do the only thing that he could do in order to find her. He went to her witchy friend Bonnie for help.

* * *

><p>The house that Elijah had taken her to was old and dusty. Elena recalled how dust used to make her sneaze and managed a sad, secret smile. He did not meet her smile. Elena felt his guilt coming off of him in waves. It broke her heart to know that she was responsible for it. If she hadn't, if only... Elena shook away her concerns, her own guilt. It wasn't her fault and it especially wasn't Elijah's fault. Elena wanted to communicate that to him as much as possible.<p>

By the end of the first day, the large old house was spotless. Elena hadn't seen anyone that had cleaned the house.

By the end of the first week, Elijah had taught her how to hunt, to kill if needed, how to feed. He showed her how to feed from a human and not kill them. He told her what to do, if she wanted too.

Elijah was true to his word and helped her understand the new world she had been reborn too. There was still so much she felt that she didn't know, and Elena already sensed Elijah pulling away from her, again. She wanted to be with him, to hold him close, and show him that she didn't fault him for anything that Klaus did to them both. Elena, most importantly, wanted to show Elijah how much she loved him. But there was something about his manner with her that told her to stay away. So she did.

Stefan, in a way, had done the same thing with her. He ended things, never giving her a say in the end of their relationship. Although as time went on, it became more obvious that he still loved her and wanted her, but he had held back. He had held back, breaking her heart far more deeply than Elena had ever had it broken before. It was still so hard to believe that Stefan was dead. She missed him, despite how he had treated her.

They were two weeks in and Elijah had found her in his bedroom. She had been sitting on the bed, taking joy in her new sense of smell. The room smelled like him and she missed Elijah so much too. But in an entirely different, far more passionate way than from how she was dealing with the loss of Stefan.

"Elena," His eyes lit up upon seeing her, but then returned to their usual sadness. "I'm glad you're here. I wanted to tell you that I have made plans to leave Mystic Falls."

"When do we leave?" Elena asked quickly, secretly fearing his answer.

He seemed surprised that she would ask that. But then the all business manner returned.

"I felt that perhaps you might feel ready to return to your family home. You are doing so well, Elena," He told her softly, pride shining through.

"My family consists of two humans, Elijah. I love them dearly, but I have no where near the control that I need to be around them yet. Why are you really leaving?" Elena insisted. She wanted to accuse him of leaving because of how he still feels for her, but she wouldn't do that to him.

"You don't need me, Elena."

Tears filled her eyes as she felt her heart rip just a little more with pain. She couldn't lose someone else that she loved. More importantly, she couldn't lose Elijah. She just couldn't.

"Elijah, don't you still feel anything for me?" Elena pleaded softly. Her chest threatened to heave, so intense was her grief by this man. No, her love. She couldn't lose him.

"You have Damon," He offered kindly, but at the same time, his voice was hard. "You won't be alone, Elena." Elijah took in the pain he was causing her and had to turn his back to her to compose himself.

"Damon? Elijah, I went to see him because he felt that I had returned. I went to Damon, because I wanted to say goodbye. He's always been there... I had to tell him goodbye."

"Elena, I am no good for you. When we're together, I always manage to hurt you in some fashion," Elijah confessed his greatest fear to her. "I killed you, Elena," He then spoke more firmly. "You'd still be human, if I had been more careful. If I had only noticed what my brother..."

Elena went towards him at vampire speed to put a finger to his lips. "It's not your fault, Elijah. Klaus did this to me. Klaus did this to us. Don't let him win..." Elena moved to kiss him, brushing their lips together before he could do anything else. He shivered at her closeness, her touch. He then gave in, finally, crushing her to him in a passionate, breathtaking kiss.

Their embrace was then interupted by the arrival of Damon. Of course he would be there. Elena thought bitterly. She let go of Elijah when he stepped away from her.

"I was just leaving, Mr. Salvatore," Elijah then spat darkly to Damon, before heading to the door. Elena went to go after him, with Damon snatching her into his arms.

"Let me go, Damon," Elena shouted, fear obvious in her voice. Not of Damon, but fear of Elijah assuming the wrong thing about her and Damon, and leaving her forever as a result.

"You don't need him," Damon told her darkly. "You have feelings for me, Elena, and you know it. Now you're a vampire, we can be together, always," Damon said, desperation in his voice. "Nothing will be in the way." He moved to kiss her, refusing to release Elena from his grip. He was stronger than her and Elena cried out just as Elijah had gone out the door.

Her heart swelled with new life when he just as quickly stepped back inside the room with them.

"Release, Elena, Damon," Elijah said calmly. "Or you will be without your head before the next minute is out."

Damon let her go, growling. He then turned to Elena, heartbreak and devestation obvious in his face. "I'm never good enough. It's always going to be somebody else," He admitted sadly, beyond the normal levels of pain now.

"I think you should leave Elena lone, Damon," Elijah cut in, his voice more threatening. "I will compell you, if you cannot obey a simple command."

Damon then turned to face Elena one last time. "I'm sorry," He whispered, before vanishing into the night. Elena stared after him, hating to hurt him, but she couldn't lie to him about who she really wanted.

Elena began to move towards Elijah. He joined her half way, gathering her up, into his arms, against his chest. "I still cannot believe this is real. I thought I lost you..." he murmered, before tasting her lips again.

"I was lost, but then you found me," Elena whispered, pulling him into another kiss. "I love you, Elijah," She told him, whispering against his cheek, and into his hair. She gave his ear a lite little brush of her lips. She swore she felt his skin heat up when she did that.

"I love you," He returned, before pulling her closer for a simple embrace, to hold her.

"Are you still going away?" She had to know.

"Only if you come too." He vowed.

"I'm in," Elena smiled. He would never go anywhere without her. She believed him because he gave her his word.

**The End.**

**Thank you to everyone who has been reading along. I hope to write another story soon. Sarah. **


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